Spies in Disguise review

SPIES IN DISGUISE: 

ANIMATED SPY ADVENTURE IS A TON OF FUN FOR ALL-AGES, WHETHER HUMAN OR BIRD! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** out of 4

20^TH CENTURY FOX

(From left to right) Walter Beckett, Lance Sterling, Marcy Kappel, Killian, Ears, and Eyes in Spies in Disguise

            A top spy suddenly gets transformed into a bird and has to stop a criminal mastermind in Spies in Disguise, the latest animated film from Blue Sky Studios and their first film released under Disney after the acquisition of 20th Century Fox. While Blue Sky’s movies are a bit hit-or-miss to me (For every Horton Hears a Who, Peanuts Movie, and Ice Age 1, there are a bajillion crappy Ice Age and Rio sequels), this was the first Blue Sky movie I was interested in checking out at least since The Peanuts Movie in 2015. 

            Sure, a comedic take on spy movies is nothing new as we’ve seen it many times before in both television and film such as Get Smart, Austin Powers, Johnny English, and the 2015 Melissa McCarthy movie Spy to name a few as well as the upcoming Dave Bautista comedy My Spy coming out next year. But it still looked fun to me and had colorful and at times stunning animation, a talented voice cast, and some very funny jokes and references to various spy movie tropes as well as the inevitable homages to James Bond, I was onboard for this film even with the idea of Will Smith turning into a bird…yeah, that was weird.

            But from the moment it started until the end credits, I was laughing, thrilled, and invested in the story and characters. This film is absolutely hilarious, clever, and filled with imagination and surprisingly a lot of heart, all strung together by the charming team-up of Will Smith (Independence Day, Men in Black trilogy, Aladdin (2019)) and Tom Holland (Marvel Cinematic Universe, Dolittle, Onward).

            The film follows cocky H.T.U.V. (Honor, Trust, Unity, and Valor) secret agent Lance Sterling (voiced by Smith) sent on a mission by director Joy Jenkins (voiced by Reba McEntire-Tremors, Reba, Charlotte’s Web (2006)) to retrieve an attack drone codenamed the M9 Assassin from a cybernetically enhanced terrorist known as Killian (voiced by Ben Mendelsohn-Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Ready Player One, Marvel Cinematic Universe). However, when Sterling realizes the suitcase containing the drone is empty and is mysteriously framed for stealing the drone by security forces agent Marcy Kappel (voiced by Rashida Jones-I Love You Man, The Social Network, The Muppets), Sterling has no other choice but to get off the grid and…with effect, DISAPPEAR!

            That’s where Walter Beckett (voiced by Holland) comes in, a young scientific genius who works for Sterling and has invented something that could change both science and spying forever, biodynamic concealment. Sterling carelessly drinks the concoction before Walter can explain what it does, and he transforms into a pigeon, also Walter doesn’t have an antidote made…Oops. 

            So, it’s a wild goose chase (or pigeon chase I should say) as Sterling and Beckett must outrun Marcy, specialists Eyes (voiced by Karen Gillen-Doctor Who, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Jumanji 2 and 3) and Ears (voiced by DJ Khaled) and the rest of the H.T.U.V. agents to turn Sterling human again and prove his innocence by finding Killian, re-obtaining the drone, and saving the world, while also learning about the importance of friendship, teamwork, and putting others’ needs before your own along the way. 

            The film also features the voices of Rachel Brosnahan (House of Cards, Manhattan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) as Wendy Beckett, Masi Oka (Heroes, Hawaii Five-0, Get Smart) as Katsu Kimura, and Carla Jimenez (Lincoln Heights, My Name Is Earl, Fuller House) as Geraldine. 

            Overall, Spies in Disguise is a smart, funny, and action-packed animated movie for the entire family as well as an entertaining spy spoof in its own right with plenty of references and homages to boot. Like the rest of Blue Sky’s films, the animation is stunning and blurs the line between looking cartoonish and realistic, I’m serious, Sterling’s spy car actually looks like a real car whenever it’s on-screen and the animation lends itself to some great comedic slapstick as well as some exciting action sequences. 

            However, where the film truly shines is with the characters particularly Sterling and Beckett. Sterling is this cool, smooth secret agent with an attitude except a lot more huggable than Archer and probably a giant allegory on Will Smith and his charming personality, Beckett on the other hand is a socially awkward but very intelligent and compassionate scientist who invents things to fight fire with kitty glitter and inflatable hugs (I’m not kidding) and all throughout the film tries to teach Sterling that spy missions don’t always have to end in people getting hurt and there can be a peaceful route. 

            Yeah, they’re pretty much polar opposites but they work wonderfully together, and one always has something to teach the other that eventually comes in handy in the story. Not to mention, the character designs are so spot-on that I was convinced I was watching computer-animated versions of Will Smith and Tom Holland, well done Blue Sky.

            Spies in Disguise doesn’t really do much new with the spy movie formula (Aside from turning Will Smith into a pigeon) but the colorful animation, humor, inventive gadgets, and charming characters more than make up for it. Aside from Frozen II this is my go-to animated/family film for the rest of the holiday and I’m seeing a bright future for Tom Holland not just as Spider-Man in the MCU but also in animated films with Pixar’s Onward on its way. 

            This mission guarantees fun for all ages and should definitely be accepted whether you’re a human or a pigeon. I mean, it’s better than Will Smith turning into a hideous fish monstrosity, luckily such a movie does not exist…right?